[Albion] Brentford - away tickets

[dazzer6666]

I flip-flopped on this when discussing it last year.

For the low-capacity aways (Bournemouth, Brentford and Luton etc), I did initially think the size of Tier 2 was a bit unfair to those just below the Tier 1 threshold.

However, I then decided this large Tier 2 group might be more fair, in that it gives more people a chance of going to one of these high-demand fixtures. If Tier 2 was shrunk down, and the following was a suggestion, there'd be a lot of people who would not get a chance to go to one of these games:

Window 1 – the allocation (using an example of 1k allocation – 1k)
Window 2 – double the allocation (around 2k)
Window 3 – 50% of STHs &1901 (around 12k)
Window 4 – all STHs & 1901 (around 24k)

I guess I can see the pros and cons of each approach.

If T2 is narrower, it effectively becomes more of the much-maligned ‘closed shop’……agree it can be argued both ways, with many probably clouded by their own circumstances. There is no solution that suits all of the people all of the time unfortunately

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

I fully accept I’ve just got to chance my arm next Wednesday morning. I’ve already booked my flights so just hope I’m fortunate - there are worse problems! If we were meeting them in the Championship it would be easier so I think I’ll take where we are now

 

[dazzer6666]

I would think so - like a lot of people, if me and my son were split up by the tiers I wouldn't bother going as the ticket scramble is pretty off-putting nowadays in a way it wasn't before.

I didn't mind the ticket scramble when it genuinely a fair and even contest - you got the ticket if you were quicker and clicked on the right bits of the website because you done your homework properly. If you didn't get in, you only had yourself to blame for not doing those things properly. With the introduction of the queing system, you are just powerless as you are effectively blocked from competing until the roulette wheel turns. I found that quite demoralising and super frustrating - to the extent I wouldn't want to experience it again.

I'd be in favour of a wide tier 2 banding if that change hadn't been made by the club. But now it has been - am sure they can justify it by their ticket setup not being able to cope with high demand - then I have now shifted my view and think there should be a narrower tier 2 band.

Could argue the queue makes it fairer rather than it being a test of ‘fastest finger first’.

 

[kevo]

TBH the current system works as a good motivator to anyone who likes to do a fair few aways.

Tier2 is a lottery, but Tier1 is a guarantee.
Anyone close to the top of T2, will end up doing a few more difficult trips to reach the T1 status.

It definitely worked for me.
just missing out on Brentford last season, led me to doing 3 northern trips, I would otherwise probably not have done.

Yes, I can see why they do it. It does seem a bit unfair to have such a wide range for Tier 2, though.

 

[drew]

If you missed out by 1 or 5 pts then it's clear what you need to start doing next season! Tier 1 isn't a closed shop. People move in and people drop out.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Could argue the queue makes it fairer rather than it being a test of ‘fastest finger first’.

It’s not the queuing system that causes me frustration; it’s the fact that games always go on sale at 9am on a weekday when it is really hard for me to just drop everything at work and log on.

When I mentioned this before, some users said I should get my mates to log on for me and book my ticket. This would be okay if they weren’t in a lower tier than me and unable to get tickets themselves. I gave up asking them to log on for me to get a ticket a while back after I realised it was a lot of hassle for a game they wouldn’t end up being able to go to theirselves.

The queue system effectively makes it a lottery for Tier 2 for Palace/Brentford/Bournemouth type fixtures. Why not make it a proper lottery? For example, you apply for a ticket the day before your Tier comes into play and then tickets are allocated on a random basis to those who have applied. The London 2012 Olympics worked that way, so there should be no reason the club cannot find a system to do something similar.

In fact, the allocation of tickets during Covid also used some random ballot, so the club have done something similar before.

 

[drew]

The queue system effectively makes it a lottery for Tier 2 for Palace/Brentford/Bournemouth type fixtures. Why not make it a proper lottery? For example, you apply for a ticket the day before your Tier comes into play and then tickets are allocated on a random basis to those who have applied. The London 2012 Olympics worked that way, so there should be no reason the club cannot find a system to do something similar.

What's the point of swapping one lottery for another!

 

[jonny.rainbow]

What's the point of swapping one lottery for another!

I can buy a ticket for one lottery and can’t for the other.

 

[drew]

I can buy a ticket for one lottery and can’t for the other.

Er yes you can. Registering to get a ticket in a ballot is surely the same as logging on at 9am and getting a random place in the queue!

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Er yes you can. Registering to get a ticket in a ballot is surely the same as logging on at 9am and getting a random place in the queue!

No. I have to log in at 9am and wait until my place in the queue comes up under the current system. That means neglecting my work duties each time for 15-30 minutes.

My proposed system is that I can register my interest in a ticket for the fixture and commit to buy it in a ballot window that is open for 24 hours prior to the window opening. The club would then randomly select from all the ballot registrations and let people know if they were successful or not. It’s what London 2012 did with ticket sales. It’s the same system London Marathon uses every year for ballot places.

 

[Luke93]

No. I have to log in at 9am and wait until my place in the queue comes up under the current system. That means neglecting my work duties each time for 15-30 minutes.

My proposed system is that I can register my interest in a ticket for the fixture and commit to buy it in a ballot window that is open for 24 hours prior to the window opening. The club would then randomly select from all the ballot registrations and let people know if they were successful or not. It’s what London 2012 did with ticket sales. It’s the same system London Marathon uses every year for ballot places.

In the context of away ticket sales, the current system makes the most sense. A ballot system is more time consuming and costly for Brighton staff. It’s much easier for them to regulate sales in the current system, like and ask for more seats for the less desirable games were the initial allocation is reduced. It also helps stagger sales which we’ve seen in a block system and gives fans the option of picking their seats. In same cases which tier to sit / stand in where appropriate. Pros and cons to each system.

Also the rich in T1 really are eating well, as they typically have a whole day to buy a guaranteed ticket at their leisure! No scramble lottery for them.

 

[Ike and Tina Burner]

If you missed out by 1 or 5 pts then it's clear what you need to start doing next season! Tier 1 isn't a closed shop. People move in and people drop out.

Exactly!!!
I missed out on Ajax tier 1 by a few points so since then I've done the hard yards and I'm now on 411 points. If you only go to a couple of 15 pointers a season it soon adds up.

 

[studio150]

What's the point of swapping one lottery for an

No. I have to log in at 9am and wait until my place in the queue comes up under the current system. That means neglecting my work duties each time for 15-30 minutes.

My proposed system is that I can register my interest in a ticket for the fixture and commit to buy it in a ballot window that is open for 24 hours prior to the window opening. The club would then randomly select from all the ballot registrations and let people know if they were successful or not. It’s what London 2012 did with ticket sales. It’s the same system London Marathon uses every year for ballot places.

15-30 minutes, really

Take this morning as an example, my son logged on at 8.55, got position in queue and had secured a ticket at 9.02.

No need to change the current system, there will always be people who miss out for popular games.

I can guarantee that if the suggestion of a full lottery was adopted, far more people would be moaning and wanting a different and fairer system.

A simple solution for you is to get into tier 1, then you have all day to secure your ticket.

 

[jonny.rainbow]

15-30 minutes, really

Take this morning as an example, my son logged on at 8.55, got position in queue and had secured a ticket at 9.02.

No need to change the current system, there will always be people who miss out for popular games.

I can guarantee that if the suggestion of a full lottery was adopted, far more people would be moaning and wanting a different and fairer system.

A simple solution for you is to get into tier 1, then you have all day to secure your ticket.

I’d love to have the disposable income for that!

I can afford about 2-3 long distance away days a season. I have done Everton and Norwich so far this season and will probably do Wolves. Can’t afford the train fair and hotel costs beyond that for trips to Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool etc.

The reality is, I will never get into tier 1 but would be content with forgoing all other games to tick off Brentford which I will almost certainly miss out on as I am working next Wednesday at 9am when it drops to Tier 2.

 

[drew]

I’d love to have the disposable income for that!

I can afford about 2-3 long distance away days a season. I have done Everton and Norwich so far this season and will probably do Wolves. Can’t afford the train fair and hotel costs beyond that for trips to Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool etc.

The reality is, I will never get into tier 1 but would be content with forgoing all other games to tick off Brentford which I will almost certainly miss out on as I am working next Wednesday at 9am when it drops to Tier 2.

It's not as cheap as it was but you don't need to have hotels for Liverpool, Manchester or even Newcastle! We've done Newcastle twice this season, there and back same day on the train. If cost of trains are an issue, look at Seagull Travel. There are ways of doing it but if you don't and others do, then they'll be ahead of you in the queue.

 

[dazzer6666]

It's not as cheap as it was but you don't need to have hotels for Liverpool, Manchester or even Newcastle! We've done Newcastle twice this season, there and back same day on the train. If cost of trains are an issue, look at Seagull Travel. There are ways of doing it but if you don't and others do, then they'll be ahead of you in the queue.

……or drive and share costs if that’s an option…..Liverpool/Manchester by car in a day costs us less than £30 each in fuel/parking (as a group of 3). The 15-point games make such a difference to your LP tally.

 

[Goldstone1976]

The reality is, I will never get into tier 1 but would be content with forgoing all other games to tick off Brentford which I will almost certainly miss out on as I am working next Wednesday at 9am when it drops to Tier 2.

Do you know any tier 1 1901er who isn’t going? You wouldn’t get the LP, but you would get to tick the ground off.